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Contest Finalist in Dear Trees Photo Contest
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Contest Finalist in Lost In The Forest Photo Contest
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Same photographer See allBehind The Lens
Behind The Lens
Location
This image was captured quite literally by the roadside in Ayrshire on Scotland’s west coast. It is the area that I grew up in and had driven past this spot many times and hadn't given it a second glance. It is one of those images where light, weather conditions and the time of day really make all the difference.Time
From memory this was taken at dawn on a freezing cold morning in October. The temperature had started to rise resulting in a mist. This was starting to burn off as time was going on so I was conscious that the atmosphere of the image would change quicklyLighting
I had been trying for some time to capture the rays of sunlight being diffused through trees and was keen to try to capture the very subtle and soft nature of natural light in the early morning without harsh shadows. The misty conditions helped with this creating a mystical feel ton the image as the highlight s of the wild flowers at ground level were picked out.Equipment
it was captured on a canon EOS 600D with the standard Canon 18-55mm F3.5 Kit lens. I use an old Manfrotto aluminium tripod that is heavy and at times awkward to carry but is absolutely rock solid.Inspiration
As I have said previously, I have driven past this wooded area many times and not really paid too much attention. So I would say that for all landscape photography, my inspiration is that that you can capture a moment or scene that will be gone in seconds and will look completely different at another time of day or under different weather conditions What had caught my eye in this scene was the old stables cottage sign on the tree, there is no cottage there anymore. All that is left is an old track that leads to the area behind these trees. I had checked locally and apparently there hasn’t been a cottage for many years. To me this just adds to the mystique of the image.Editing
There was not a lot of post processing in this image. Firstly I cropped the file slightly and straightened the image because the trees were not perpendicular and then changed the white balance as I had it set to auto in camera. The only other processing steps were to tweak the levels slightly and sharpen.In my camera bag
I like to travel light so in my bag, the camera is always my canon 600D with the 18-55mm kit lens. I do have a longer focal length 70-300 and a 50mm f1.8. the other must have is a cable release and my old Manfrotto tripod.Feedback
The best advice I can give is to be patient. Never underestimate the value of checking out a scene in advance and make multiple trips and different times of day and in different conditions. Take notes if you have to! This kind of image is very weather dependant so pay close attention to local weather reports. As with all landscape photography, be prepared to get outside and enjoy the area at any time of day. And invest in a good pair of walking boots and warm clothes as cold is the one thing that will have you retreating to the comfort of your car before you get that one shot that you wanted.